“On the surface, this film is very intentionally about the experience and perspective of the child – we see the bullying through the main character’s eyes and we imagine what is going through his mind as events unfold and new information comes to light. But it is also making a statement about the impact grown-ups and their actions have on children. While the grown-ups are in the periphery (literally – they’re never in focus), their presence and actions (or lack thereof) play a major role in the lives of the 2 main characters – the argument between Nejc’s parents, the absence of the bullying victim’s father, etc. By not having the main character speak very much, this film forces the viewer to imagine what is going through his head, and to draw conclusions for themselves. It would be interesting to hear the different questions and insights it might evoke in both young and older viewers.”
(Adult juror / Providence Children’s Film Festival)
“Very good cinematography and use of hand-held camera that really puts you in the shoes of the boys. (The opening shots of the tunnel where the boy is being chased are dramatic and foreboding, and heighten the sense of isolation and feeling trapped.) The story was simple but very well told (again, often without the need for actual words – e.g. when the boy discovers the stolen phones, the change in the in the way he interacts with his parents at dinner near the end, etc.). I liked how, by giving us an unresolved ending, the film continues to make you think and fill in the gaps even after it’s over. Overall, a solid, well-produced film.”
(Adult juror / Providence Children’s Film Festival)
“It captures the moral confusion that happens in kids’ lives really well. The plotting is really interesting – it’s not predictable, and presents a question that is hard for anyone to answer. I thought the filming and acting were great.”
(Youth juror / Providence Children’s Film Festival)
“Very cool short—two youths connect and bridge a divide. Decently acted by two leads, clear directing and very legible characterization. Music was spare but when present, matched the scene well. Pacing was good, and tone stayed light even during challenges. Cinematography was very good, and included the top kid-movie trope where adults are only shown to about upper waist level, through watery windows, etc.”
(Youth juror / Providence Children’s Film Festival)

“In Don’t Forget to Breathe we observe the “great awakening” of the main protagonist, unfurling through his rite of passage in a key period of human maturing, against the backdrop of a hot summer in blossoming nature. Summer in the province is here essential for the narrative: here, the season isn’t just playing the part of a mere scenic adornment but is also a powerful participant; not just an actor but a supreme demiurge, a force majeure that – as if in Greek drama – tosses its helpless heroes into a chaotic world, setting them before tribulations whose outcomes can’t be predicted, and whose consequences will only emerge as the wheel of time makes its turn. Only one thing is certain – this is the one, unforgettable summer that will forever shape their lives.” Matic Majcen, Film critic

“…This is why Don’t Forget to Breathe is a film that will most deeply affect those who are themselves immersed in the whirlwinds of incomprehensible overwhelming longings, disappointments, hopes … who know, feel and believe they are at once nothing and everything, no one and someone … alongside all those who’ve already stepped over the thresholds of their own futures yet still carry within a living, tangible memory of vulnerable youth. Finally, it will also be appreciated by those who perhaps ” in haste of our daily lives forgot already all those formative feelings that have shaped our personalities decisively”, as the author personally puts it. It may be perceived as a reminder that each new generation is shaped its own way, though perpetually on the foundations of the common human condition, the universal struggle with the terrifyingly mysterious depths of man’s spirit and incomprehensible universe.” Andrej Šprah, Film theoretician

“Don’t Forget to Breathe, the third feature film by the Slovenian director Martin Turk, is a precious cinematographic gem, one of the films we shall find hard to forget. /…/ Turk’s sophisticated outlook, the touching and sensuous music by Teh0 Teardo, and Radislav Jovanov’s magnificent photography spin in a melancholic dance which shows us Klemen and his fellow travellers who give us the impression that they do not notice Klemen’s extreme anguish caused by the change he is going through.” Silvia Fabbri – Movie Trainer https://www.movietrainer.com/recensioni/dont-forget-to-breathe-splendido-e-intimo-gioiello-cinematografico-di-martin-turk

“Martin Turk has managed to translate the screenplay into a visually convincing film. With it, he returns to his childhood places and at the same time creates some sort of a visual poetry which helps him remember the sounds, sunrays and summer heat of the time.” Gianluca Vignola – Sentieri selvaggi https://www.sentieriselvaggi.it/romaff14-dont-forget-to-breathe-di-martin-turk/

“If watching the film brings you in mind of Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name, it will be because of Martin Turk’s direction; his elegance and grace helps him present the story of a hot summer, first loves and pains. The magnificent and unpolluted Slovenian countryside, the setting of the story where we get to know the hero of the film intimately, is even more beautiful because of the evocative photography by Radislav Jovanov.” Roberto Puntato – Zerkalo Spettacolo https://www.zerkalospettacolo.com/dont-forget-to-breathe-martin-turk-racconta-la-vulnerabilita-inquieta-delladolescenza/

“The young heroes are portrayed by Matija Valant, Tine Ugrin and Klara Kuk, three new faces in the cinematic world, who are very successful at impersonating all the anxieties and joys brought along by young people’s discovery of life.” Alessia Marvuglia – Spettacolo https://www.spettacolo.eu/romaff14-dont-forget-to-breathe-recensione/

“Martin Turk has directed a miniature cinematographic gem.” Sofia Peroni – Parole a colori
http://paroleacolori.com/dont-forget-to-breathe-un-film-intimo-e-delicato-sul-primo-amore/

“With his film Don’t Forget to Breathe, Martin Turk reaches into the densely populated genre territory, and by directing it he has created one of the most outstanding recent Slovenian films.” Matic Majcen – Večer https://www.vecer.com/poletje-z-drugacnimi-ocmi-10135413

“While most films and other art creations for young people try to grab their supposedly limited attention span by quick tempo and uninterrupted action, the film Don’t Forget to Breathe is a refreshing contrast, allowing the hero to have an introspective look into the light that penetrates a spring leaf, letting the viewers feel the moral and emotional whirls that are affecting the hero.” Igor Harb – Vikend

“A special role, equal to that of the fantastic actors, particularly young Matija Valant, in Martin Turk’s film is the setting, the gentle and vast milieu of Bela Krajina, where every cloud, river or murmuring tree present an almost literal portrait of Klemen’s strong emotions, allowing them the necessary time to mature and die way.” Gaja Pöschl – Channel 3 of Radio Slovenija – Ars https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/gledamo/ne-pozabi-dihati/515177

“Don’t Forget to Breathe is Turk’s sincerest and most mature feature film which makes us remember all the similar adolescence portraits of our summers spent with films.” Tina Lesničar – Delo https://www.delo.si/kultura/ocene/ocenjujemo-ne-pozabi-dihati-280432.html


"Writing as well as directing, Turk throws a plethora of other obstacles in Armin’s twisty path, including broken-down cars, lost phones, school meetings, missed obstetrician appointments with his pregnant wife (Maja Zećo) and a bordering-on-desperate lack of finances. Still, the onslaught of dispiriting incidents is never repetitive, outlandish or over-played, to the filmmaker’s considerable credit. There’s a rhythm to the narrative that reflects that of reality, albeit with more downs than ups. That daily life is filled with continual disappointment might not prove the cheeriest message, but it’s never packaged as a statement of grim condemnation either; rather, the film posits that the struggle is worth enduring for the sake of love and family." Screendaily

“What Good Day’s Work does very well is getting the audience involved, challenging viewers to ask themselves what they would do in Armin’s shoes. From the safety of the movie theatre, it is easy to judge him, tutting at some of his decisions, but Seksan’s charisma brings Armin closer to the audience: he is more a friend who is down on his luck than someone whose actions are to be judged coldly. Some of the subplots also aid in creating an attractive map for Armin to get lost in.”

“There is a palpable lack of films that deal with everyday life and everyman in Sarajevo without including the war and/or its consequences. Even with the international team behind it, Good Day’s Work makes for a solid film that represents the city and its people and their struggles well. On top of that, given the short time and the micro budget that it took to make this film, Good Day’s Work deserves a lot of praise and is definitely worth the watch.”
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